Marble Falls seeks public input on future city planning
CONNIE SWINNEY • STAFF WRITER
MARBLE FALLS — City officials will update the growth and development blueprint known as the Marble Falls Comprehensive Plan for the community and have asked those who live in and around the Marble Falls area for their input in the process.
Officials last updated the Marble Falls Comprehensive Plan in 2009 and will spend the next year compiling data for a revised plan with a five- or 10-year outlook.
Steps toward revising the plan include staff and consultant workshops, advisory committee meetings, an online survey and an upcoming public forum.
“We’re in the public involvement phase,” said Caleb Kraenzel, director of development services. “We’re trying to get public feedback on all the things that are in the immediate future for the city, regarding what (residents and business owners) see the priorities being.”
People who have not received notification by mail, can fill out the online survey through July 31.
The city has posted the survey at ci.marble-falls.tx.us.
Click here for direct access to the survey.
“It covers everything from street maintenance to what they envision as the priorities for future growth, what the priorities are, where the city should invest in building its long-term vision,” Kraenzel said. “That’s parks, utilities, open spaces — all those things are intertwined.”
Categories ask for priorities, support rankings, levels of satisfaction and entries for recommendations and comments.
Those who prefer to take the survey in writing can obtain a copy at the development services department, 801 Fourth St.
Call (830) 798-7095 with questions.
During the final leg of the public input phase, officials will host a public forum at 6 p.m. Aug. 13 at Lakeside Pavilion, 307 Buena Vista.
The results of the forum and the online survey will be added to the input received during a series of meetings in June by the Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee.
Members of the committee either volunteered or were approached by city officials to offer insight.
Residents and business representatives on the advisory committee are Jessica Cayce, Matt Fields, Chris Garza, Phil Hiser, John Kemper, Jane Knapik, Greg Ritchie and Jim Weber.
Representatives from city entities on the advisory committee are Brian Shirley of the capital improvement plan committee; Councilwoman Jane Marie Hurst; Councilman Richard Lewis; William Dee Haddock and Fred Zagst of the planning and zoning commission; Mark McCary of the Marble Falls/Lake LBJ Chamber of Commerce; Steve Reitz of the Marble Falls Economic Development Corp.; and Charles Watkins of the parks and recreation commission.
Two of the citzen and business representatives are non-city residents but live within the city’s extra-territorial jurisdiction.
After compiling the data, a consulting firm will draft an updated plan and present it to the city’s planning and zoning committee for consideration, which will then recommend the document to the city council for possible approval.
The new comprehensive plan is expected to be adopted in April or May of 2016.
“It’s one of the rare chances where citizens get really direct involvement in the process of developing the future community they want to see,” Kraenzel said.
connie@thepicayune.com
1 thought on “Marble Falls seeks public input on future city planning”
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Why not post the survey online?